Mountains to Sea Trail forum

[MOWGLI]

This new forum was just added to post questions, info, or trip reports about North Carolina's Mountains to Sea Trail. This trail connects to the AT at Clingman's Dome and runs all the way to the Outer Banks. It is about 50% complete - so the occasional volunteer opportunity may crop up as well.

Lots of great day hiking and backpacking opportunities exist on this trail. If you've got something to share about the MST, let 'er rip!

Happy Hiking!

[The Solemates]

Not much to share hear, but can't wait to hear from others who have hiked the trail. We would love to do it one day. Have done small bits and pieces here and there.

[The Solemates]

here.........

[Phreak]

I hiked 295 miles on the MST last February with my dog Suzi. I'm hoping to complete another 300 miles or so early next year.

[Tennessee Viking]

I contacted the heads of the FMST to post open to public maintenance events on the Maintenance Volunteer Call section.

They usually have some public event every month or so listed on the Friends of the MST site. Then each maintenance group has their own schedule.

I believe they are still working on moving trail away from its road route along the BRP.

[gghiker]

Ah, now you're talking my part of the country! I've put in many segments of this trail, mountains and Outer Banks. If you've never done any dune hiking, you don't know what you're missing

If you're ever looking around on Flickr, I'm the admin of the "NC Mountains to Sea Trail" group. Its a special trail, from the tallest peaks in the Eastern US to the largest sand dunes. Thanks for including this trail where it belongs

[Walessp]

Here's the URL for the MST for those who would like to learn more.

http://www.ncmst.org


I've hiked several sections along the coast, through the Piedmont and in the mountains, as well as some roadhikes. Let me know if you'd like to hike a section with me (or just need a shuttle or assistance in the Greensboro area).

Outlaw

(walessp)

[The Solemates]

enjoyed the youtube videos!

[juho]

i once worked with a fellow(on mt. leconte) named Allen H.(llama leader) who was one of the first to hike it thru...sounded like a nice hike...by the way is there anyone who has done off trail hike in the smokies?? if so id love to hear em..i did some nice ones up leconte(bear pen,lowes creek,pole line,b&L hawks....fun stuff!!
juho

[Tipi Walter]

I spent many years backpacking the MST in the Linville Gorge/Steels Creek/Hiway 181/Greentown/Upper Creek area and north to Harpers Creek/Lost Cove Creek and points further up by Trout Lake and the Temple of the Gods(Rich Mountain).

In the early days(1980s), I wondered what that white circle blaze was running off the horse trail climbing above Trout Lake and heading north towards Grandfather Mountain. Between 1980 and 1995 I pulled about 100 backpacking trips into the Upper Creek/Greentown watersheds and basically lived at different campsites either alone or with my buddy Johnny B. In fact, every June solstice we'd have a huge gathering of kindred spirits camping along Upper Creek a bit below the MST/Greentown trail.

I went back recently and surveyed all the holy spots dear in my memory, the Moss Rock, the Rock Canyon, the cable-crossing swimhole, Babaji Point(a 200 foot cliff), the old Greentown tent and grill areas(long ago people used to drive down to the Upper and park on what is now the MST as it winds its way near Chestnut Mountain towards Raider Camp and Harpers).

It's all in the Pisgah Forest and the Grandfather District. Some vast areas in there for some great backpacking. I have many stories of the Trout Lake area and the adjacent Temple of the Gods.

[MOWGLI]

I spent many years backpacking the MST in the Linville Gorge/Steels Creek/Hiway 181/Greentown/Upper Creek area and north to Harpers Creek/Lost Cove Creek and points further up by Trout Lake and the Temple of the Gods(Rich Mountain).

In the early days(1980s), I wondered what that white circle blaze was running off the horse trail climbing above Trout Lake and heading north towards Grandfather Mountain. Between 1980 and 1995 I pulled about 100 backpacking trips into the Upper Creek/Greentown watersheds and basically lived at different campsites either alone or with my buddy Johnny B. In fact, every June solstice we'd have a huge gathering of kindred spirits camping along Upper Creek a bit below the MST/Greentown trail.

I went back recently and surveyed all the holy spots dear in my memory, the Moss Rock, the Rock Canyon, the cable-crossing swimhole, Babaji Point(a 200 foot cliff), the old Greentown tent and grill areas(long ago people used to drive down to the Upper and park on what is now the MST as it winds its way near Chestnut Mountain towards Raider Camp and Harpers).

It's all in the Pisgah Forest and the Grandfather District. Some vast areas in there for some great backpacking. I have many stories of the Trout Lake area and the adjacent Temple of the Gods.

We should plan a trip up there sometime. A little camping. A little hiking. A little trail maintenance.

[Tipi Walter]

We should plan a trip up there sometime. A little camping. A little hiking. A little trail maintenance.

A good start-off point would be Hiway 181 and east down the Greentown trail, thereby avoiding the over-regulated Linville Gorge wilderness, etc. I've studied how it all connects up using the old Wilson Creek map trails and there are some outstanding waterfalls and swimholes along the way. Something to keep in mind.

[Taba]

Hi everybody,
I just finished my thru-hike of the Mountains to Sea Trail. I started on May 23rd and finished September 28th. I also wrote a guidebook to help out thru-hikers in the future. I will probably be hiking it every year to update the book. It was a wonderful adventure. As far as camping in the Outer Banks, don't let them catch you. I had a park ranger ask me where I was going to camp that night and my reply was "I don't know, somewhere where you can't find me." He chuckled but I think I posed a challenge for him that night. The guide book should be finished by the beginning of 2009. I used Trailjournals.com to update my journal entries.

Scot "Taba" Ward
"There And Back Again"

Appalachian Trail 2003
Long Trail 2004
Colorado Trail 2007
Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2008

[Tipi Walter]

Hi everybody,
I just finished my thru-hike of the Mountains to Sea Trail. I started on May 23rd and finished September 28th. I also wrote a guidebook to help out thru-hikers in the future. I will probably be hiking it every year to update the book. It was a wonderful adventure. As far as camping in the Outer Banks, don't let them catch you. I had a park ranger ask me where I was going to camp that night and my reply was "I don't know, somewhere where you can't find me." He chuckled but I think I posed a challenge for him that night. The guide book should be finished by the beginning of 2009. I used Trailjournals.com to update my journal entries.

Scot "Taba" Ward
"There And Back Again"

Appalachian Trail 2003
Long Trail 2004
Colorado Trail 2007
Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2008

Yeah, there are many sections, especially in the piedmont area around Greensboro, that are "closed to camping." What's the point of having a long distance trail you can't sleep on?? The guidebook is funny about it, or squirrely, cuz when it mentions the area around Brandt Lake(G'boro), for camping it says: Get to the highway somehow(hitchhike?)and get a motel room. Say what?

In places the trail goes right behind houses with dogs barking and kids playing, and I suppose the entire area is a linear city park with the usual no camping rules. Yet I noticed that by going a hundred feet off the trail, well, can anyone say Stealth Camping?

[trouthunter]

A good start-off point would be Hiway 181 and east down the Greentown trail, thereby avoiding the over-regulated Linville Gorge wilderness, etc. I've studied how it all connects up using the old Wilson Creek map trails and there are some outstanding waterfalls and swimholes along the way. Something to keep in mind.

Hi Tipi,

I'm curios about the Linville Gorge area, I have spent a good bit of time in Nantahala and a lot of other gorges and watersheds, but have not been to Linville.

I usually do these river gorges as backpack/fishing trips and do not care to be forced to use designated primitive camping areas that take me off my planed route which usually involves a good amount of bushwacking.

I'm curious what regulations you are trying to avoid, maybe I should find another area.
Thanks

[grizzlyadam]

Hi everybody,
I also wrote a guidebook to help out thru-hikers in the future. I will probably be hiking it every year to update the book. It was a wonderful adventure.

congrats on finishing your hike! i enjoyed following your journey through trailjournals.

and, having completed about 98% of the MST myself, i'll have to say that i look forward to your guidebook. in my opinion the current one by de hart pretty much sucks.

again, congrats.

[Pedaling Fool]

Making a guidebook is hard work, it's not something you can just spit out and be done with; requires constant vigilance for updates.

[Taba]

Linville gorge is a great place and very beautiful. Camping there isn't too much of a problem. My rule is if it feels like you might get caught illegally camping, go farther into the woods. First rule of stealth camping, Don't get caught. My guide book will also help in some of the questionable areas like that. Making a guide book is very hard work. I have mine almost printable. The book will never be finished because the trail will never be finihed. Just like the AT, there will be reroutes to update for the life of the trail. My plan is to hike it every year and do the research myself. Nothing like first hand information. It will be out soon.

Scot "Taba" Ward

AT '03
LT '04
CT'07
MST '08

[Tipi Walter]

Hi Tipi,

I'm curios about the Linville Gorge area, I have spent a good bit of time in Nantahala and a lot of other gorges and watersheds, but have not been to Linville.

I usually do these river gorges as backpack/fishing trips and do not care to be forced to use designated primitive camping areas that take me off my planed route which usually involves a good amount of bushwacking.

I'm curious what regulations you are trying to avoid, maybe I should find another area.
Thanks

Linville Gorge is definitely worth a visit. Then again, here's my suggestion: Pull out a map(Wilson Creek Area Trail Map/Pisgah National Forest/North Carolina comes to mind), and see how NC Highway 181 divides the lower left section(along Ripshin Ridge). To the left of the hiway is Linville Gorge(further west and north--off the map), Steels Creek, and the Barkhouse Picnic Area. The place you want is on the right side of the hiway.

Take 181 north of Morganton(or south from Linville/Boone), and at the Forest Road 982 turn right(if going north)and go about 1-2 miles until you cross a high concrete bridge. Here bear left onto FS road 197 and follow it till it dead ends(sometimes gated in the winter). At the end park and keep following the old deserted road on foot until it really deadends in a big old turnaround.

Here Trail 268A continues straight ahead still on the right side of Upper Creek. Follow this trail about 1.2 miles up and over a gorge overlook/rocky spot(and watch for the tricky switchback on the other side going back down), and you will cross a side creek(Burnthouse Creek)and here there's a primo campsite with Upper Creek on the left and a 100 foot waterfall to the right behind the campsite(from Burnthouse Creek).

Set up tents at this campsite cuz the next bit of info is top secret and available only to the worthy few. Leave your basecamp and get in Upper Creek and follow it downstream(left)along the rocks(the creek is the trail)for about 1/2 mile or until you come to a private gorge and canyon area full of water and huge rocks. You'll know you're in it cuz little rocks disappear and the creek cuts thru a canyon of solid rock. Gotta see it, gotta swim in it. Further down this canyon there's a very deep swimhole and jumpoff in a little V-shaped wedge. To the left there's a 200 foot rock face(Babaji Point).

The manway trail to the top of this cliff can be reached from trail 268A, the one you came in on. It's tricky to find, though.

If you camp at the open Burnthouse Camp and follow the 268A trail further along Upper Creek past this camp, you will cross Upper and turn right in the bend of the river and soon merge with the Greentown/Mountains To Sea Trail which follows along Upper Creek on the left bank(going upstream). It does this for awhile before crossing Upper to the right and going up and out of the watershed to the Harpers Creek area. Anyway, forget about Linville Gorge and all the rules and regulations, check out the Upper!

[trouthunter]

Tipi, thanks a bunch.
I printed your directions out and will put them with the map i currently have.
I currently have the Linville Gorge Wilderness, Pisgah National Forest map.
I will get more area specific maps for Upper Creek when I order my topos.
Most of the best fishing is in upper sections, out of areas of heavy use, preferably with no trails. At least that has been my experience.

Thanks again.